The best waterside camping near Fredericton
New Brunswick's capital offers big-city pleasures and outdoor adventures suited to all kinds of campers.
The best waterside camping near Fredericton guide
Where to go
Kouchibouguac National Park
Sitting on the Acadian Coast of New Brunswick, this stunning park combines lush forest with salt-marshes that are home to thousands of birds, and sandy beaches that spill into the warm ocean. Kouchibouguac offers amazing hiking, kayaking, fishing, clam digging, and all manner of Parks Canada-provided activities (including going out in a traditional Indigenous canoe). Year-round backcountry camping is available, as are seasonal serviced campsites and oTENTiks.
Bear Island
This tiny community is a great spot for hanging out in nature and having a low-key break, with some awesome attractions and a sweet campsite that comes with its own private beach, a swimming pool, and trails. Nearby in Nackawic is the World’s Largest Axe, a cable suspension bridge, and Howland Falls.
Mactaquac Provincial Park
This heavily wooded park was built for year-round camping. Aside from hiking, fishing, kayaking, and enjoying the numerous freshwater beaches, Mactaquac features a marina, an activity center, and ziplines. In winter, Mactaquac Provincial Park offers sleigh rides, groomed ski trails, skating, fat-bike rentals, and two groomed sledding hills.
When to go
Up until June, the weather in this part of New Brunswick can be pretty changeable (and cold and wet), but summers are warm and can be pleasant right through to the end of October, when fall kicks in along the Saint John River. You can experience everything Fredericton offers year-round, but some attractions and campsites outside of the city operate only on a seasonal basis.
Know before you go
- Cell service in less-populated areas of New Brunswick can be patchy, so don't rely on your phone as your only map if going off into parks.
- French is widely spoken in Fredericton, as New Brunswick is Canada's only legally bilingual province (and all services must be offered in both English and French). If travelling north of the city toward Quebec, you’ll find the French language much more commonly spoken.
- Free camping on Crown Lands (as in owned by the government but not a designated park) is permitted for short periods in New Brunswick.